Ay Caramba Mexican Food in Richmond

The food was delicious and the staff was extremely friendly. The food was delicious and the staff were extremely friendly.

Extremely inviting and friendly environment. Good food, great drinks and good prices. Had the Ay caramba burrito and it was more than I could eat.

The Ay Caramba burrito was great!

Hidden gem!!! These burritos are FIRE!!!!

Awesome vegetarian/vegan options especially for the tacos!

Had a really excellent Ay Caramba burrito for lunch in a surprisingly empty restaurant. Will definitely return and hope others do too...

This owner provided lunch for my school for teacher appreciation week. It was absolutely delicious! The fajita meat so so flavorful, the rice , the taquitos, the corn tortillas, the rice the beans, all excellent. My favorite was the chipotle sauce, the guacamole and the pico de gallo was so fresh! The chipotle sauce was soo good I was dipping my plain tortilla chips in it! I will be skipping chipotle and heading downtown Richmond all the way from short pump for my Mexican cravings from here on out!

Friendly staff, fast service. I m always grateful for vegan options; I just didn t particularly care for their soyrizo. It had a strong clove/nutmeg/cardamom/cinnamon-something flavor that I didn t like. The tamarind juice was too sweet. I really liked their salsa, though.

Incredible service! We have been here a few times but tonight was great, we had great drinks and the service was 10/10. We will for sure be back!

Wonderful family restaurant. Vegan options clearly indicated. Delightfully fresh and flavorful vegan soy chorizo. Mmmmmmm

Fabulous service, fantastic food, even better dessert!

Great cozy place

My husband and I were recently in town for Galaxy Cona and ate here for lunch TWICE. We loved it. Our waitress was wonderful. She was wearing an opossum shirt and I gifted her a little crochet opossum! Wonderful food and service! Whenever we return to Richmond, VA this place will be on the list!

I ve been going here for 10 years, when it was just a food cart. The curry chicken bowl is the best offering, but used to be WAY better. They don t include cabbage or plantains anymore, which were the best parts. You have to pay for extra sauce. It s gotten saltier and less juicy-used to be more curry sauce. I m just going to have to learn how to make it because the last time I went, it did not hit the spot. Drinks are good but WAY too sweet.

Great place to grab a bite to eat 2 blocks from the convention center. Burrito bowl was wonderful.

Very personable establishment and staff! They are extremely attentive, polite, and fast! If you want authentic Mexican , COME HERE. Very welcoming space. Delicious tacos and margaritas & more for WAY AFFORDABLE PRICE!! They already memorized my order and my extra chipotle sauce :)

We loved it! Delicious chips and some killer potent habañero home made salsa. Great service and simple, easy to access seating. Loved the vegan items, soyrizo especially. Delighted these are on the menu! Wish we lived near by. Very tasty, lovely people and a very good value for the calibre of the food. Vegetarian options: Vegan stuff! Just ask.

The service was really sweet, but Ive never had such a greasy burrito. No tea no shade, but my burrito was caked in grease to the point of not being delightful unfortunately. Everything just tasted like grease. It was also on the smaller side for the cost, but Im used to Canastas and Charcoal Chicken. Dont let my review stop you from going, but dont get the burrito.

The food was good but far too overpriced, especially for linch. I will definitely go back for happy hour. $40 for two taco plates and a drink.

I am a harsh critic on Mexican food, and Ay Caramba hits all the marks! Housemade tortillas, traditional cilantro-onion-protein style, and excellent sauces. Some of the best in Richmond. The fish, Al Pastor, and shrimp tacos were outstanding. And on top of that, a fun vibe with good music, tasty margaritas, and friendly staff.

Good Mexican food and Great affordable Taco Tuesday Specials! ....Great service and atmosphere. Loved the Hibiscus Drink

Good Mexican style food..great service and nice atmosphere

We went here with a very large group on Saturday after a volleyball tournament. They were so accommodating and went out of their way to help everyone. The food was great and fresh and would go back next time we are in Richmond. Kid-friendliness: We went with a volleyball team and then were nice enough to separate the check per athlete. This was very helpful to the family.

Incredible food! Our server was phenomenal and so helpful. We are definitely coming back when were in the area.

Great food!

Great service, yummy food

Good veg options, great food, flavorful, fresh ingredients, consistent and healthy meals! Excellent service from staff who ve been there for a long time and set a vibrant atmosphere Fun to place to meet friends for food and drink!

What a restaurant! Family owned and operated; we got to speak to the chef/owner who was so kind and welcoming! The food did not disappoint! Absolutely delicious and homemade! Highly recommend the flautas with the chipotle chicken and the carne asada! Really there was not one item that was not amazing! Kid-friendliness: The kids loved it and there was something for all of their taste buds. The staff was also very nice and told us that we could substitute sides no problem which is great for anyone who has a picky eater.

Quick and consistent spot downtown, typically go each day when in the office.

love the tacos.

Go here almost everyday! I love their Chicken Chipotle Quesadilla and their Steak and Pepper Burrito! Very consistent quality! Thanks for being here everyday! Vegetarian options: They have Soy Chorizo

Good place if you are on a low sodium diet because food was lacking flavor. For the most place food is ok, but way too high for what u get.

Lovely family atmosphere and delicious food. The carnitas were very delicious as was the guacamole. Chips come out fresh and don t have too much salt on them, they are just right!

Dietary restrictions: Vegan protein options!!! Parking: There may be more options available, but we parked on the street and payed the meter. Wheelchair accessibility: The door is accessible from the sidewalk.

Vegetarian options: Fantastic vegetarian tacos! Mexican and or American style. Side sauce for tacos were great, too. Very friendly staff.

The carnitas taco was great, and the horchata was perfect.

Only been to the food truck. Great flavors and love the Ay Caramba combo with the verde and cilantro dressings.

Awesome food, rare find, authentic Mexican food. Tacos are real Mexican, no American bs. Also definitely try guacamole, fresh and delicious. And margaritas, cheap, strong and tasty Vegetarian options: Vegetarian options are there. Dietary restrictions: You have options. Parking: Adjacent parking might be hard, but paid parking is close by, also may get free street parking if in luck. Kid-friendliness: Good decent crowd. Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

We popped in here for an early dinner and it was virtually empty. The food was good with a lot of choice and friendly staff although one of them spoke limited English. It was reasonably priced and if we visit the city again we would go back.

Just awesome burrito bowls especially the chicken.

An amazing eco-friendly and family centered restaurant with yummy delicious food. I love the multi generational atmosphere and customer service culture! . My go to spot for lunch dates.

Fresh, delicious food!

awsome food with very reasonable prices food is always fresh

Its wonderful I love it We give you good service and we serve you with love

We loved this little spot. Food was very good and the margarita was excellent. Service was friendly and we really enjoyed the whole meal. Give it a try!

Watery chicken

Food was ok. Service was good.

It s a cute spot but the food is so aggressively mid. I went here because some other review said it was authentic Mexican food. I feel like that person might also find Taco Bell to be authentic . I got the steak burrito and chipotle chicken quesadilla (with as many fillings as I could fit) and a side of chips/salsa and black beans. The quesadilla and burrito were fairly decent, more like above average home cooking of a suburban family s Mexican night. The black beans were completely unseasoned, just straight cooked beans, which was a little jarring. And the chips were ok, but not salted at all. The salsa they came with also left a lot to be desired. If you are someone who is very picky and likes plain things this is the place for you. Decent food, very little flavor. If you re looking for authentic Mexican food I suggest you try elsewhere. Although I will say the staff was very nice and turned out the food pretty quickly.

I had both a quesadilla and two tacos, which were really good until I found a hair in my quesadilla, which was a little offputting but food was still good

The jumbo margaritas are phenomenal and the food even better!

Yummy grilled chicken bowl

Amazing food! Beautiful jewelry. The staff was so friendly. They were very busy, just be patient :) totally worth the wait.

Food was very mid. Definitely needs to be improved. I wouldn t necessarily classify as an authentic Mexican restaurant at this point in time. The servers were extremely friendly but could ve stopped by a time or two more. Also, expensive for the quality but good enough

Tasty food and sauces. The chorizo burrito was great. Casual atmosphere and quick service. Food : 5/5

Been coming to this spot for a year and havent been dissatisfied once. Great staff with great service and the food is always fresh and hot even when ordering online for pickup. If you want some good tacos i recommend this place highly! Kid-friendliness: Always has kid-friendly music playing. Wheelchair accessibility: No stair entrance which helps with accessibility to the entrance and throughout the store.

Went for dinner and the food was all excellent and inexpensive. We had quesadillas, fajitas, and tacos. The habanero sauce is especially notable. The service was great, too.

Good food clean and personable.

The food was amazing! Service was excellent!

I love this place! Their food and friendly service always keeps me coming back. Best Mexican spot you can find mid town in a heartbeat

This is probably one of my favorite spots downtown. The staff is absolutely amazing and the food is even better. Me and my fiancé eat here all the time and it has NEVER disappointed ! And to add the food is always fresh and hot. 10/10 recommend

Very vegan friendly. The workers are very kind and caring.

I really enjoyed their food. The quesadilla was very tasty. The chipotle sauce is yummy!

I moved here half a year ago and my first order of business was finding an authentic taqueria. was shocked at some of the recommendations people gave me as they were not even close to real tacos (aka; en su boca ). So I Had to do my very own research and was blown away when i found this little yet powerful spot. They have all your Mexican food needs but for me the most special was the fact that they had a taco platter with not one but TWO sides!! I mean what more perfect meal and bang for your buck could you get than this !? plus if you get it to go they always include free chips and salsa. They have all the traditional meats as well, not just some boring chicken and ground beef options. They are flavorful and seasoned just right, paired with some spicy yet delicious sauces and of course, with cilantro & onions. Not only that but the people working there are one of the nicest and most caring people. They re always providing amazing service. my only negative comment would be that they should add pineapple pieces to their al pastor meat. the OG way. nonetheless the meat itself is delicious. If you want real, authentic, non-commercialized tacos within the inner part of richmond / the city this is your place to go.

You can never go wrong with there lunch burritos!

My wife and I were visiting from out town. We looked up reviews on Mexican food and this place had great reviews. Sadly they were wrong. When we walked in you can tell the air smelt old and there was very little to no air movement. Then we were seated and served chips and salsa immediately. The chips tasted old and the salsa was okay. Wife and I both ordered chicken fajitas. You get 2 free sides when ordering fajitas. So we both really wanted beans and rice. She got black beans and I got pinto beans. Everything was fresh out of the can. Literally they give you separate plates for your sides and you can tell they scooped it out of can into the microwave onto your plate. No seasoning no effort. We thought it was weird that our fajitas didnt come with Tortilla shells but were okay with it if our sides tasted good. We didnt want to pay extra for tortillas since we were so disappointed in the sides. The chicken itself was okay, but I just couldnt get over the lack luster sides, chips and ambiance. They were very friendly, very fast service.

They treat you good and make you welcome at this restaurant ! Bartender was amazing & food was great as well. Definitely hit this spot up when in town.

I ve been coming here for over a year and the food never disappoints, great service amazing staff and great food. Can t beat it.

Went today with my family, took absolutely forever over 1hr to get food. Restaurant is a mess dirty plates everywhere. Not recommended

On top on the 30 minute wait we were then seated and ignored for another 25 minutes then when we were waited on our waiter did not even write down our order fully so 20 minutes later another waiter had to retake our order and 15 minutes after ordering we still had no drinks. And then when our food was brought out almost 2 hours after waiting it was wrong and wasn t the correct food. Overall the food was not worth the two and half hours we waited and the service was terrible.

Great food, very authentic. Fast and friendly service. This will be a regular stop for me going forward, thank you to the staff!

Wouldnt exchange a pork dish for chicken or steak even when willing to pay difference, after explaining, ordered pork online by mistake. I dont eat pork due to religion. Didnt even try to be accommodating.

I come to Ay Caramba every few months. I have only heard good things about their food cart on MCV from colleagues. First, they get you with their fantastic salsa and chips. All their entrées I have tried are excellent. The chicken fajita, the chicken and chimichanga, chicken and rice, and lastly quesadilla. It tastes very fresh and feels comforting. The staff is super friendly and accommodating. My partner and I will continue to come back.

Great fajitas and tacos! Really nice folks there too.

Ordering was a little unorthodox but the food is an 11/10. Definitely would recommend if you are into authentic Hispanic food.

Great place

The carne asada tacos are good. The refried beans are not.

The best Mexican food in Richmond, easily!

Great food with lots of flavor. You won t be disappointed !

Service and food not good at all

Good authentic taste and great service.

Great food!! Enjoyed everything!

Good food, good service

Easy to find and the good was good :)

Checked this spot out since it was close to a friends place. We ordered margaritas (lime and mango) both were delicious, however the mango was one of the best drinks I ve ever tasted. We got several drinks not during happy hour so it was $9 per drink which is on the cheaper side compared to other places. The chips and salsa were okay, salsa had almost a pizza sauce taste. The guacamole was fresh and tasty though! We ordered tacos and spicy chorizo nachos and both dishes were great! Definitely a good spot for drinks and will be coming back.

This place was so great! The environment is clean, pleasant, and inviting. The staff is super friendly. And the food was outstanding! I definitely recommend getting the queso con cilantro it was delicious on everything!

We stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner as we had just arrived from out of town. The salsa with the chips and salsa wasnt great, just average. We ordered a steak burrito and cheese quesadilla with Pico de Gallo and black beans. The black beans had NO taste or seasoning, I had to pour salt just to give flavor. The quesadilla was similar but the ingredients were fresh and light. The steak burrito was also average. The two employees in the restaurant were both nice. The food here is just ok.

Really enjoyed my burrito. Pretty expensive but filled to the max. Would get delivered again

Tasty food, our server, Alex, was great!!

Very delicious and an amazing authentic taste, 10/10 would recommend

Went here with co-workers we had a blast with the staff and drinks were wonderful

Ill start with they must have been short staffed because we only saw 3 people working the restaurant so I can give them that. The womens restroom had no water to wash your hands and there was no sanitizer to atleast clean them so we went into the mens bathroom. The cheese sauce came out cold and was not good. My husband ordered a beer that the server told us half way through our meal they didnt have then didnt take it off the check till we asked. The food was mediocre at best and we were very disappointed we chose to eat here for our time to Richmond. Definitely wouldnt come back or recommend.

The Flan is to die for

Great everytime I go.... Love it

Great food and excellent hospitality

I LOVED the chicken steak and shrimp fajitas with teriyaki sauce! It was CRACK! Im sorry it was really really great!

Absolutely amazing food! Quick service and clean store.

Fast friendly service. Good food. Never disappointed.

Great food, drinks and atmosphere. Staff attentive and friendly.

Fantastic customer service, absolutely the friendliest staff I have had the please of seeing. They make flavorful dishes that just blow other restaurants out of the water. Do yourself a favor, and go to this restaurant. I couldn t have been treated better

Such kind staff and expedient service! Not to mention the best priced Mexican in RVA!

Love this place. My go to burrito spot. Have awesome food and margaritas are amazing! Just finished a chicken burrito and guacamole. Could have had a larger portion but that doesnt take away from how tasty the guac is. Still five stars. Amazing!

The Sea and Earth Fajitas were delicious as well as the Carnitas Tacos and both desserts! If you havent stopped in to eat put ¡Ay Caramba! on your list of places to eat!

Great place. Hometown vibe.

The best.

Great food and service, you can tell the people of Ay Caramba love what they are doing. We had a large group, they shut the restaurant down for us and handled the crowd with care and professionalism. Every time I visit Richmond Ill make sure to patronize this great establishment.

Great authentic Mexican food. Made to order guac and the burritos were amazing. We definitely will be back!

Love the burritos<3 The staff are so friendly!

Great covid friendly restaurant with awesome service and great margaritas!

First time , did not like it . Taco Salad , Carne Asada had thin chopped fatty meat like for a cheesesteak sub not Carne asada at all. No seasoning or marinade on meat. Size was fine ,shell was great . Quesidilla didnt have enough cheese in it to even hold it together , basically two toasted tortillas with filling. Jalepeno quest was literally water thin and separated completely even with mixing it was oil, water and Jalepenos and white substance. Atleast 2 jars of jalepenos in it . Chipotle sauce was very ranch dressing like.. cilantro dressing was good and flavorful. Home-made salsa was not apperant or missing but guacamole and pico were good Very disappointed

Super good!! Had a grilled chicken burrito and a palomas and they were both so tasty!!!

My family and I love Ay Caramba. Cool and kind attendants, fresh and tasty food. Everything is always wonderful.

best burritos with so much flavor, all at a reasonable price

The staff was friendly. The food was prepared quick and was delicious. Had a few margaritas for good measure. A great experience

Staff was great, food was fabulous. Wish I lived closer to this place!

The food was delicious, portions perfect, wait staff a pleasure! This was not our original plan but Im happy we were disappointed with the first restaurant staff. Ay Caramba will definitely be seeing us on our next trip to Va.

Recently moved from Queens, NY. This place feels like home :)

Tan rica! The chicken quesadilla was awesome with the spicy salsa and queso fundido. Highly recommend this place

had the ay caramba chicken burrito bowl with some sweet plantains and it was delicious! was ready quickly and Im definitely going back some time soon.

Great food and affordable prices. I had carne asada tacos with beans and fried plantains.

It s Mexican food in Richmond VA. The food was alright and the service okay. The price did not match what I got charged, but I was not going to debate. The place has cheap margaritas so that s a pro.

There s a great food and drink menu and the other staff are helpful. If your walking by, scan the code instead of the reading the menu.(it s upside down)

Very nice people. The food was delicious and good prices. I will return when Im back in town.

Really fantastic burritos. I got the steak. Like you can only get from a family owned joint. Wonderful!

Very pleasant workers, was greeted and help immediately. Very clean environment. Excellent food. Will be back.

I went to this place because its so close go my apartment and the reviews are pretty good! My first visit was a little disappointing, the food is very lackluster. I got Carne asada and rice and beans, the meat tasted a little old, canned beans and instant rice. My server ended up forgetting about me even though I was one of the two tables that had people at it. I chocked it up to it being a bad day and tried going again with my friend for margaritas. Even the margaritas are bad! My second trip was actually worse than the first trip, instead of being forgotten about, our server (same one that forgot about me on my previous visit) had a terrible attitude. It was all very awkward and uncomfortable and I definitely will not be returning for anything.

I hate leaving bad reviews, but I was so disappointed in this spot given the other good reviews. The service was ok, but the drinks and food were lacking. The biggest issue was that the meat in my chicken tacos was straight up cold. They made the tortilla really hot to try to cover it up, but even with steaming hot tortillas the meat was still not hot, which is a food safety hazard. The beans and rice served with them were flavorless. The margarita I had was almost blue in color. There were also flies roaming around our food. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend and hope the restaurant improves.

Friendly service & great food. Had the steak chicken and shrimp fajita. Was very good, along With complimentary salsa and chips.

Awesome service and great food. Definitely coming here again.

Nice salsa..

They have wonderful burritos

As someone who looks at reviews often when traveling, please take my review if youre an out of towner. This place is friendly, great prices, and the food is plentiful and delicious. Huge fan and when I come back through, this place is a must!

Authentic tacos and great hospitality. Thanks

I placed an order through door dash, my order was given to someone else and the manager refused to remake my order. Horrible customer service. Will never get my service again.

Go for taco Tuesday- three tacos for 10$! Super delicious

The curry chicken was incredible! The handmade guacamole is also fantastic! The tres leches cake was very well made and absolutely delicious! The service was excellent. All around, this is one of the best Hispanic restaurants in Richmond, hands down.

Pretty good food the server though was awesome!

Good food, great staff, good prices.

Food was great. Server very helpful.

Great place to get quick and easy mexican dishes at a good price. The reviews comparing to chipotle are true, the food is prepared the same way. Everything was great, and the service was quick and caring.

Great chips great at carramba burrito. Excellent people. Love it

We dont get to Richmond often and today we made a visit and decided to try Ay Caramba instead of the other Mexican restaurant with beans and rice. We found some amazing tacos. We will definitely visit them again soon. Great job to the crew working today.

Love love love it

Hidden gem. The food here is out of this world. Everything is made from scratch from the Chorizo to the sauces. The female owners create the recipes themselves and are equally wonderful. Huge portions, incredible taste, and all homemade food. Eat here frequently -- be sure to try the new mango sauce (and my favorite the Aye Caramba burrito)!!

I absolutely love this place. I come here about once a week because my boyfriend and I are obsessed. 10 bucks here will get you a huge amount of delicious Mexican food, chips, and a margarita. I feel blessed that this place is only a block from where I live. Try out the chipotle sauce and chorizo!

The food is all fantastic and the staff is very friendly :) Definitely try the lemonade!

Cute and clean restaurant with delicious inexpensive Mexican food.

By far the best authentic Mexican restaurant in Richmond, not only because of the amazing food but the amazing people who own it as well. The tacos, burritos and chips and salsa are divine! My wife and I live nearby and love going there. They are so friendly once you get to know them. Please continue to support their small, delicious and wonderful restaurant and give them a try.

Great food, great service. I visit often, for lunch. Great place for the whole family.

I pick up from their n food look n smells pretty good. Have not eaten their yet

Great food at a great price!

Top notch margaritas and tortillas! Everything is fresh and fully loaded with deliciousness.

Best Mexican food ever! And the staff are very polite and friendly!

Great burrito! Lots of protein

Great taco salad and friendly staff

It was a misunderstanding and I visited the restaurant today the young lady was very nice and welcoming...

Came into town on business, and found this awesome place! Customer service was spectacular, and the tacos and sauces were amazing! <3 Thank you!

Not excellent. The burrito was mostly rice

Hole in the wall place. Good food. Had to ask multiple times for a refill on chips. All 3 dishes for our group came out at different times.

Delicious food, awesome and personable service.

Really love this place. I live a couple blocks away and will be moving soon, which is a bunmer. Great value. I ways get the burritos. Ive had the Al Pastor, Curry Chicken, Spicy Chorizo, Chipotle Chicken, and the Ay Caramba (house specialty Chipotle chicken with fried plantain) burritos. All are great! The owners and everyone who works there is very sweet and Ill miss not having it in my neighborhood. This is the best burrito spot downtown! Cafe Ole cant compete!

Awesome burritos with lots of good vegetarian options, perfect queso, great prices, what more could you want??

If you are looking for good , traditional , economically sound Mexican food; then this is the place for you. Its also very conveniently located near a parking facility so you may start or end your Richmond adventure with some food that is Mucho Deliciosa!

Not really sure how theyve managed such high ratings. Ordered for the first time from them and most of it was mediocre at best. The guacamole was the highlight, it was fresh and very tasty. The accompanying chips were a mixed bag, literally. They added fresh chips on top of old chips, so that the 1st few were good the rest chewy and stale. The rice was bland, but ok. The tacos al pastor were meh and the beans were horrible and severely under cooked. *Update* Definitely placed the order at the Richmond location. The chips did appear to be homemade, thats not in question. My complaint was that the top chips tasted fresh and crisp while the remaining chips tasted chewy and stale as though they had been carried over from previous days.

the best. Carne Asada is well cooked. I typically get takeout, but you can also get table service.

!!!!looks deliciuos!!!!....

Strictly 5 Stars for value - you cant get a better deal downtown for the amount of food. My recommendation is their Ay Caramaba burrito with plantains. Also, get the cilantro sauce! Nice people who deserve more business. Love coming here (and so does the wallet).

ALWAYS DELICIOUS

Such friendly employees!! Loved everything about this restaurant!

Delicious food and awesome staff. Great decor and atmosphere. I love this place!

Best carnitas in town, and even better people! Worth every penny!

Authentic Mexican style tacos are the best here, with warm corn soft tortillas served with all the yum meat. Sauces are on point here, very close to authentic taste i had in Mexico. Very decent prices, i have tried it all here goes my list. Shrimp > chicken > pork > Asada

Its nice and comfortable.

Great place for authentic Mexican food.

Good foods, good prices, great customer service. We will be back

Cheap Mexican done right

Excellent service and fresh food!

CURRY CHICKEN QUESADILLA

Food and service were good!